Toy vehicle set



April 29, 1958 H. MUELLER TOY VEHICLE SET 4 Sheets- -Sheet 1 Filed May 25, 1955 Inveman HEINRICH MQELLE/P 9% A A GENT A ril 29, 1958 H. MUELLER 2,832,177

TOY VEHICLE SET Filed May 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 jm/erlzan' f/E/N/P/CH MUELLER AZQ? I H. MUELLER TOY VEHICLE SET April 29, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 25. 1955 m nu r e5 N I w. .5 .O HuI .H B v A ril 29, 1958 H. MUELLER 2,832,177 TOY VEHICLE SET Filed May 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [five/7601*: HE/NP/CH MUELLER United States PatentO TOY VEHICLE SET Heinrich Mueller, Nurnberg, Germany Application May 25, 1955, Serial No. 510,975

Claims priority, application Germany December 16, 1954 2 Claims. (Cl. 46-244) chanical means. tic shaft whereof The latter may consist of a flexible elasone end is rotatably supported by an object resembling a roadside pump, and can be set in rotation by hand or by an electric motor or the like, the other end of said shaft being releasably attachable to the toy vehicle. In have the semblance of position large winding up forces.

In accordance with the present invention, the set comprises an electrically driven toy vehicle driven by means of one or more primary battery cells arranged inside the toy vehicle. Contact means are provided at the filling station to connect the battery cells electrically to a source of charging current for cell regenerating purposes. When battery cells have been in use for a long time in the toy vehicle the play-effect of the toy vehicle driving up to a filling station in order to fill up, after which it can then drive on, is achieved in a very natural manner for the player.

In the toy vehicle set according to the present invention no mechanical forces are employed when the toy vehicle fills up, and the stationary toy vehicle remains motors having a very small operating current are now known and the cell regeneration process referred to is sufficient for their normal operation. As has been determined by experiments, the regeneration process can also be carried out if the primary battery cells are connected to a source of charging current for only a very short time,

provided the current fed to the battery cells is made correspondingly large. After each short regeneration period the toy vehicle can be operated for a relatively long time.

The regeneration process described can be repeated approximately 100 to 200 times, as experiments have likewise shown, thus extending the useful life of the priis also applicable to primary battery cells which have been previously completely exhausted. The process can be used with normal carbon-salammoniac-zinc dry cells, with alkaline mercury-zinc cells and with other known appropriate primary cells.

It has furthermore been shown that if the regeneration process is frequently repeated, carbon-salammoniac-zinc dry cells, for example, acquire an increase in voltage above the original voltage value. The voltage of such cells is 1.5 when new. After they have been regenerated when new. For the filling up operation contact means provided on the toy vehicle are releasably connectable to the contact means at the filling station.

In one form of construction the contact means provided at the filling station takes the form of an imitation delivery hose. The latter may be tric leads and may be fitted with plugging means preferably in the form of an imitation filling spout. Such an does not rotate during filling up, and it does not transmit any mechanical forces which would upset the position of rest of the toy vehicle. This makes it possible to give a very good imitation of fullsize practice which enhances the play efiect.

The imitation delivery hose can be mounted on the semblance of a simple roadside fuel pump, but it also may be mounted on a filling station designed as a pavilion, building or the like.

In another form of construction the contact means provided at the stopping place can take the form of a battery charging cable as used in full-size practice for recharging batteries of motor vehicles.

In a further development the filling station is designed as a complete filling and with garage In yet another form of construction, relating preferably to a toy vehicle guided by a single-rail track, electrical contacts are provided at the filling station and are adapted to automaticall engage and make electrical conthe filling station. Furthermore, switching means operated by the stop devices can be provided whereby the mechanical shock, when the toy vehicle comes against a stop device, interrupts the circuit between the primary battery cells and the driving motor in the toy vehicle. This ensures that all the current taken from the source of charging current is fed to the battery cells to be regenerated without any waste current flowing through the electric motor. This is of particular importance, since the electric motor takes a substantially greater current when at rest than when driving.

C Patented Apr. 29, 1958 a flexible cable containing elec In accordance with a somewhat different construction the contacts arranged at the filling station are made so long in the direction of travel of the toy vehicle that even if the toy vehicle drives past the station without stopping there is an effective period of contact. The regeneration effected by such a relatively short period of contact is indeed not sufficient for a fairly long subsequent period of operation, but, as experiments have shown, is enough to energize the motor for a further or subsequent complete run along the track. After travelling for this distance, the toy vehicle again arrives at the filling station for filling up, so that continuing operation can be achieved in this way.

Automatic switching devices may be provided at the filling station for controlling the amount of current delivered by the source of charging current to the primary battery cells and the time during which the primary battery cells are connected with such source. A clockwork motor can be provided for adjustable control of the time of connection. Number-carrying members driven by the clockwork motor can then be provided, the numbers on said members being visible in an inspection aperture and showing the amount of charging current delivered or the time of duration of the charging connection. A bi-metal strip heated by the charging current can be adapted for controlling the duration of the charging connection.

The contact means provided on the toy vehicle are conveniently designed as plugging means simulating a real fuel tank closure. This form of construction can be used when the contact means at the filling station are constructed as an imitation delivery hose. Various forms ofplug and socket connection may be used for this purpose.

In another construction, contacts are fitted to the side and preferably to the roof of the toy vehicle. arrangement is best used when the electrical contacts at the filling station are fitted below its roof.

In yet another construction of the toy vehicle, switching devices are provided thereon to interrupt the circuit between the primary battery cells and the motor when the toy vehicle is stationary. These switching devices preferably operate in conjunction with previously mentioned stop devices at-the filling station.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new and improved toy vehicle set in which the vehicle is-energized by electric current.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved toy vehicle set in which the power supply of a self-energized electric vehicle is periodically regenerated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved self-energized electric toy vehicle and filling station unit in which periodic visits of the'vehicle to the filling station etfects regeneration of the vehicles electrical energy source.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved toy vehicle and filling station unit'in which the vehicle in passing adjacent the filling station makes electrical contact with the station thereby regenerating its battery cells.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an outimitation filling station which regenerates the electrical.

battery cell source of a toy'vehicle by plugging an imitation gasoline delivery hose into an imitation gasoline-opening in the'toy vehicle.

Objects and advantages other than those set forth will be apparent from the following description when'read in connection with the constructional examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a toy vehicle set illus trating a my vehicle, an object simulating a roadside fuel pump with a delivery hose and a transformer throughwhich the charging current is supplied constructedinaccordance with this invention;

This.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a contact socket device built into the toy vehicle. seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a contact plug device for fitting the socket device shown in Fig. 2, and is fitted at its free end with an imitation delivery hose of the fuel pump shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a filling station before which a toy vehicle is arrested by a stop device embodying the present invention; 1

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a filling station and toy vehicle and illustrating the vehicle receiving charging current through vehicle roof contacts which are shown as slidingly engaging elongated conductors suspended from the roof of the station and embodying the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the toy vehicle illustrated in Fig. 4 with circuits controllable by a pivotable bumper being diagrammatically shown;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modification of the toy vehicle illustrated in Fig. 1 with the circuits of the motor and source of charging current diagrammatically shown and with a single battery cell arranged in the forward part of the toy vehicle instead of the three battery cells arranged in the tail of the vehicle;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of a change-over switching device as provided in the toy vehicle according to Fig. 7;

Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged detailed views of the change-over switch of Fig. 8 in two dilierent positions thereof;

Fig. llis a plan view of a three cell battery holder for insertion into the forward part of a toy vehicle;

Fig. 12 is a sectional side elevational view of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 11 taken along the line XIIXII;

Fig. 13 is adiagrammatic front view in elevation of a clockwork motor. serving to switch off the source of charging current after. a. determined duration of time, and also to drive dials having numbers purporting to represent the amount of fuel put into the vehicle tank;

Fig. 14- is a diagrammatic right side view in elevation of the clockwork motor illustrated in Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic illustration of the clockwork motor shown in Figs. 13 and 14 as built into the imitation roadside fuel pump shown in Fig. 1.

In the toy vehicle set shown in Fig. l, toy motor car i is provided with a flap 3 behind seats 2. As illustrated flap 3 is shown-in its open position, but by aid of a catch 4 mounted on flap 3 it can be secured to the body of car 1 in its closed position. The view through the aperture in the body of the toy vehicle uncovered by the opening of the flap 3 shows three primary battery cells 5', which are inserted into the toy vehicle obliquely from above. One pole of cell 5. coming automatically into contact at the lower end, not illustrated',.with contact strips. while the other pole connects to the pivotable contact bar 87 mounted on the flap 3' when flap 3 is closed. in this way these battery cells are electric lly connected to a motor 6. An imitation gear-lever 7 mounted on the steering-comma beneath the steering Wheel 8 is actually a switch handle intended to make the toy car go forwards or backwards or'to interrupt the current to the motor so that the vehicle remains stationary. These switching possibilities are described in detail with" the aid of Figs. 7 to 10.

An imitation roadside fuel pump 3 consists of a housing 9a and a base plate-9b. Two current leads 19a and 11b from a transformer 11 having a built-in rectifier connected to thisfuelpump. A two-core electric cable 12 having aplug 13 is provided for connecting transformer 11 to the supplymains of a suitable source of electrical power. The fuel pump 9 furthermore has an imitation delivery hose 14. The. end ofhos-e 14 is provided with an imitation filling spout 15. Two electrical leads 20a, 20b (see Fig. 3) are accommodated in the imitation hose l4 and are connected totheleads 10a and 10b.

Figs. 2- and3 show in conjunction with Fig. l the connecting means for feeding a regenerating current from transformer 11 to the battery cells 5. On the toy car a socket device 16 is built into one side of the tail of the toy car. A flap 17 mounted on toy car 1 for covering socket device 16 is illustrated in Fig. 1 in the open condition. This socket device 16 is supported inside the car by a sheet metal angle member 160'. The socket device 16 comprises an inner tubular contact 16a, surrounded by insulation 16b and an outer metallic sheathing 16c. The contact 16a is connected to one pole of the battery cells via a lead 18, while the other pole of the battery cells is in electrical connection with the outer sheathing 16c.

The imitation filling spout according to Fig. 3 comprises a handle part 19, from the free end of which a contact pin 1% projects. Insulation 190 is disposed between this pin 1% and an outer sheathing 19b. The imitation filling spout is thus constructed after the manner of a plug for insertion into the socket device 16 of Figure 2. When this filling spout is plugged into the socket device 16 the pin 19a makes contact with the tubular contact 16a and the outer sheathing 1% makes contact with the outer sheathing 16c. One of two leads 20a, 20b is connected to the outer sheathing 19b and the other to the pin 19a. The imitation filling spout 19 can be hung up by its handle 1% on a hook ice on the fuel pump 9. In order to give a child playing with the toy an even greater sense of reality, the fuel pump is provided with figures 9c and 9a, Figure 1, visible through inspection apertures and purporting to represent an amount of fuel put into the tank and the price thereof.

According to Fig. 4, the filling station illustrated is a roofed structure provided with a base plate 251, a supporting pillar 22 and a roof 23. This filling station is a component part of a single-rail railway. The rails which act as guides are designated 24 and 25. A toy car 26 can travel on one of these tracks viz: 24, and another car or cars can travel on the track 25 preferably in the opposite direction. The toy cars, as can be seen from Fig. 6, are provided at the front end with a pivotably arranged guide roller 89 to guide them on the guide rails. Roller 89 is provided around its periphery with a groove the edges of which engage the guide rails 24 and 25' thereby guiding the toy vehicle along the guide rails. The front wheels of the toy vehicles used with the filling station illustrated in Fig. 4 are lifted slightly from their running surface and are thus only dummies. The rear wheels, however, run on their running surface and serve to drive the toy vehicles. The toy vehicles thus run on the rear wheels and the guide roller 89. Stop devices 27, 28, Figure 4, are associated respectively with tracks 24, 25 at this particular filling station. These stop devices are constructed as fiags and are shown in the stop position for arresting the cars. In the stop position the flags are each engaged in a notch 83, only one of which is shown in Fig. 4. Stop flags 2'7, 23 are provided to be released from notches 88 and turned to positions parallel to the guide rails 24, 25, in which position they can be dropped into associated slots 76. The tracks are then free from obstruction by the stop flags.

When these stop flags are in the stop position illustrated, the toy car 26 must come to rest upon reaching them. Two contacts 29, 30 on the roof of the car body are then in contact with the associate contacts 32, 31, on supports 33, 34 suspended from the roof 23 of the filling station. The contacts 29, 3-0 are connected to battery cells 35 and the motor of toy car 26, not illustrated in Fig. 4. The motor of toy car 26 is fitted in a driving cab 36. There are two connecting clips 37, 33 on the roof 23 of the filling station which are used to connect the contacts 32, 31 to the electrical supply mains via two leads 39, 4G, a transformer 41 with built-in rectifier, leads 42, 43 and a plug 44. The leads 39, can either be taken exposed from the connecting clips 37, 38 to the transformer 41, or in order to make them less visible, they can first of all be passed through a bore .96 extending from the roof to the floor of the filling station, and then taken out to the transformer 41 below the base plate, as shown in Fig. 4. The clips 37, 38 are connected to the contacts 32, 31 via leads accommodated in the hollow space in the roof 23 and in the hollow space in the supports 33, 34.

In a filling station 45 shown in Fig. 5 a base plate 46 again supports two guide rails 47, 48 for one or more toy cars 49. In this illustration the filling station 45 is not provided with stop devices or" the type illustrated in Fig. 4. Conductor rails 50 and 51 of considerable length are provided above the guide rail 47, and similar conductor rails 52, 53 are provided above the guide rail 48. The conductor rails 59, 51 are connected by conductors in the supports 54, 55 and 56, 57 to clips 58, 59, and via leads 6'3, 61 to a toy transformer with rectifier, which in turn is connected to the electrical supply mains. Similar connections are used for the conductor rails 52, 53, which themselves are likewise connected via leads to the clips 58, 59 already mentioned.

Since no stop devices are provided, the toy cars travel on the guide rails 47, 48 of a closed single-rail system ast the filling station 45. While toy cars 49 are travelling past station 45 electrical connection is set up for a short time between battery cells on each toy car and the source of current. This connection is effected by contacts 63, 64 fitted to the roof of the body of each toy car which engage with conductor rails 50, 51 or 52, 53. The regeneration of the battery cells 65 effected while the toy vehicles are travelling past the filling station is sufiicient to enable the vehicle to run the whole length of the track system. Thus as long as this filling station is connected to the mains via a transformer with rectifier, the toy cars may remain continuously in operation.

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of a toy car intended for systems having stop devices such as those described with reference to Fig. 4. For this purpose a bumper 66 is pivotably fitted to the base plate 68 of the toy car on the pin 67. The bumper is normally in a position transverse to the direction of travel. When the bumper 66 runs into a stop flag 27, 28 (Fig. 4), it is moved into the oblique position illustrated in Fig. 6. A pin 69 fixedly mounted on the bumper 66 then forces contact springs 76, 71 apart. These contact springs 70, 71 are disposed in leads '72 and 73, the lead 72 being taken to the negative pole of the battery cell 75 while a lead 79 is taken to the positive pole of the battery cell 74. The connection between the positive pole of the battery cell 75 and the negative pole of the battery cell 74 for the purpose of connecting the two battery cells in series is efiected by means of a resilient metal strip 85, which can be moved by a switch handle 36. Thus the strip 85 simultaneously forms an on-off switch.

When the switch lever 86 is in the on" position the total voltage of the battery cells 74 and 75 connected in series appears across the leads 72 and 79.

The lead 79 is connected to one pole 80 and the lead 73 to the other pole 77 of the electric motor 78 illustrated in dashed lines. When the bumper 66 is straight, and the contact springs 7t) and 71 make electrical contact with one another via the metallic pin 69 attached to the bumper, the motor 78 is switched on, the voltage-carrying lead 72 being connected via the lead 73 to the pole 77 of the motor while the other voltage-carrying lead 79 is constantly connected to the pole 8d of the motor. When the contact springs 7d and 71 are separated as in Figure 6, the current feed to the pole 77 of the motor is interrupted.

Contacts 81 and 82 preferably fitted in the roof of the toy vehicle body are constantly connected via leads 83 and 84 to the leads 72 and 79, independently of the switching position of the contact springs and 71. Thus, when the contacts 81 and 82 come into contact with the contacts 31 and 32 (see Fig. 4), 50, 51 or 52, 53 (see Fig. 5), the battery cells 74 and are fed with a regenerating current. If the contact springs 70, 71 are then opened, as is the casewhen the toy vehicle is arrested at the stopping place in accordance with Fig. 4, the whole current is used for regenerating the battery cells 7% and 75. On the other hand, if the contact springs 75, in electrical contact, as is the case if the toy vehicle travels through the filling station without encountering a stop device according to Fig. 5, part of this current also flows through the running motor '7 The normal position of the bumper the direction of travel, in which the contact and 71 are in electrical connection, is obtained by the resilient action of the contact springs 75; and on the pin-52 When the bumper 66 pivots out of normal position upon running into a stop flag 2'7, 28, the pressure exerted on the bumper es overcon es the force of the spring 7% or 71.

When the stop flag 27 (see Fig. 4) is turned out of the stop position after the toy vehicle has been arrested, the bumper 66 returns to the transverse position under the resilient action of the contact spring The conductive connection between the contacts 7%, '71 is then set up via the metallic pin 6%, and the motor 78- starts again.

Fig. 7 illustrates how the current flows in the toy car shown in Fig. l. The arrangement shown in Fig. 7

arrangement shown in 1 merely in so, transverse to diifers from the that in Fig. 1 three battery cells are provided in the tail of the toy while only one battery cell 91 is provided in the front part of the toy illustrated in Pi 7. The battery cell 91 is, for example, inserted between retaining springs 92 fitted to the floor of the toy vehicle after a flap, not illustrated, in the front part of the body has been opened. The negative pole of the battery cell makes contact with a contact spring 93, which is connected to the frame of the toy vehicle via a lead 94 by means of a screw 5. The positive pole of the battery cell 91 makes contact with a contact spring 96 fitted to and insulated from the toy vehicle. Spring as is connected on the one hand via a lead )9 to a contact 97 of a changeover switch 98 and on the other hand via the lead 18 (see Fig. 2) to the tubular contact 16:: of the socket device 16. The outer metal sheathing 160 is connected via a lead 190 to the frame of the toy vehicle by means of a screw 161. Since the negative pole of the battery cell 91 is likewise connected to the frame at the point 95, this negative pole is in this way also connected to the outer metallic sheathing c.

The plug device of the imitation delivery hose 14, comprising the plug pin 19:: and plug sheathing 1% illustrated in Fig. 3 is also partially reproduced in Fig. 7.

The contact 192 of the switch is likewise connected to the frame of the toy vehicle at the point 194 by means of the lead 163. Since the negative pole of the battery cell 91 also goes to the frame at the point 95, the negative pole of the battery cell 91 is in this way also connected to the contact 192 of the switch 98. The voltage of the battery cell 91 is thus fed to the contacts '97 and 162 of the change-over switch 93.

The change-over switch 9S in one setting provides or a voltage in one direction (for example 1% po s c, 106 negative) to be taken from its contacts lt ii and 1%, and in a reverse setting provides for a reversal of such voltage (105 negative, 186 positive). There is a further intermediate setting in which there is no voltage at the contacts 105 and 106. The first two switch positions switch the motor 6 via the leads 1G7 and 183 one way to forward running and the other way to reverse running. In the intermediate position the motor is is switched off. However, the battery cell 91 is constantly connected to the plug contacts 16:: and 160, so that when the delivery hose plug with the contacts 1% and 19b is plugged in, the battery cell 91 is connected to the source of charging current in the way described in conjunction with Fig. 1. In this case the change-over switch 93 is so adjusted that the motor 6 is switchedofi.

The operation of the switch 98, which may be actuated by the so-called gear lever 7 of Fig. 1, or Fig. 7, is described with reference to Fig. 8. The gear-lever 7 is rotatably supported by a sheathing 113 (see also Fig. 7) on the steering column. The steering column in turn, is supported at one end in a wall 11! arranged at the front of the drivers compartment of the toy vehicle. An e'ccentricaliy arranged switch-actuating member 114 with cams 115 bearing against a lever 111 is turned with the sheathing 113. Lever 111 is pivotably supported at the point 112, and constantly drawn upwards by a spring in? far as is allowed by the position at any given time of the member 114 through its cams 115. When the gear-lever 7 is turned into the positions 7 and 7, shown in Figure 7, the lever 111 is moved pivotally up and down causing a switching member 110 to be moved to an. up down position or into a mid-position on a switch base 93. This type of movement of gear lever 7 causes the changeover mentioned above or a switching off or" the voltage fed to the motor from the battery cell The way in which this switching-over operation takes place in detail is apparent from Figs. 9 and it), wherein the switch contacts are diagrammatically illustrated. A movable U-shaped switch contact 118 and a movable T- shaped switch contact 1.1% are provided, both of which can be moved up and down thus setting up alternative contact between the contacts 97 and 105 and 102 and 106 (see Fig. 10) or between the contacts 102 and 16 5 and97 and 166 (see Fig. 9). The mid-position, which switches oif the motor current, is also shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 10.

instead of a single battery cell 91, several, for example three, battery cells 12%, can be provided, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. Cells 129 are accommodated in a holder 121 --'hich can be inserted in the floor 123 of the toy vehicle. This holder can be attached to the floor 123 by i'cSiliBIlt toggles 124. The negative poles of the battery cells 126 are in direct contact with the metallic wall of the holder T21, and are thus connected to the frame the toy vehicle. The reference numerals 93, 94, in Figs. 11 and 12 having a corresponding significance to that of the reference numerals 93, 4 and 95 in Fig. 7. Connection to the positive poles is made by a contact strip 96 fitted to and insulated from the holder 121. As shown in Fig. 12 strip 96 may be provided with resilient contact projections 122. The leads 9% and 18 are connected to the contact 96'. The reference numerals 96, 99' and 18' in Figs. 11 and 12 correspond to that of the reference numerals $6, 99 and 18 in Fig. 7. The use of the holder described makes the insertion of the battery cells especially easy and reliable even when several such cells are used.

A clockwork motor device 133 illustrated in Figs. 13, 14 and 15 serves to switch oif the source of charging or regenerating current after a predetermined time, and simultaneously makes it possible to show numerals intended to represent the duration of the time of connection or the imaginary amount of fuel put in the tank and the price of such fuel. The clockwork motor 133 drives a disc 12s provided with a drive nose 127. Disc 133 acts in conjunction with a maltese cross disc 125. During a complete revolution of the disc 126, the nose 127 cugages once in one of the cut-away portions 128 of the r'raltese cross disc 125, which is then moved one division further where it remains at rest and is prevented from turning for the remainder of the revolution of disc 126. A dial is disposed on the same axle as the maltese cross disc 125. The numbers of this dial 129 each remains in an observable position for a given time during forward step by step sudden movement of the dial. Ifall the numbers are covered with the exception of one at a time, which is visible in an inspection aperture 9c, 9b (shown in Fig. 1), the result is a counting mechanism in which for some time one number is visible in the inspec tion aperture, denly appears and after that time the next number sudin the inspection aperture.

In addition, a spring tongue contact 13b is provided on the maltose cross disc 125 and is in electrical connection through this disc with the frame of the clockwork motor 133 or imitation fuel pump 9. The cor :Ci lilll slides on a metallic contact segment 131, which is at-- tached in insulated manner to the body of the clockwork motor 133 by means of an insulating disc .132. When the disc 125 rotates, the contact 1313* slides over the segment 131, until the disc 125 has rotated so far that the contact 130 no longer touches the segment 131. This contact mechanism can be used for switching off the charging current source after a determined timev The clockwork motor runs down as slowly that its total running time is of suitable duration. For this purpose a rotatable fan blade 13%, is driven through a relatively high transmission ratio by the clockwork motor 133, the braking action of the fan blade causing the clockwork motor 133 to run down blade 134 can also serve to stop the 133 completely if a stop member be pivotally adjustable into its path. The stop member may be combined with the hanging-up hook 19c on the imitation fuel pump 9 illustrated in Fig. 1, so that when the imitation filling spout 15 is hung by its handle 19d on the hook in, the latter being rotatably mounted at the point 136, the hook will move downwards under the weight of the imitation filling spout 15, and the projecting end 135 of said hook will move into the track of the fan blade 134 thus stopping the clockwork motor 133. When the imitation filling spout 15 is lifted from the hook 192, the latter is moved upwards by the spring 137 and the projecting end 135 of the hook 19a frees the fan blade 154, and the clockwork motor 133 begins to run. which ends at the insulated fixed contact pin 133, is simultaneously connected to the frame of the fuel pump 9, since the projecting end 135 of the hook 1% connected to the frame of the fuel pump 9 at the point 136 comes into contact with the contact 138 (see dot and dash line position of the hook 19a in Fig. 13). The current now flows as follows: From the transformer Ill via the lead 10a to the contact 138, from there to the frame of the fuel pump 9, from the contact 130 to the segment 13?. to which the lead 20b is connected at the point 139. From the lead 20b the current goes, when the imitation filling spout 15 is plugged into the plugging device 16 on the toy vehicle, to the battery cells in the toy vehicle,

clockwork motor and from there back via the lead 20a and the lead ltlb to the transformer 11.

This circuit can be interrupted in two places when the imitation filling spout is plugged in, i. e. at the contact 138 if, for example, the imitation filling spout 15 is again hung on the hook 19c or by contact E36 when it is moved off the segment 131 after a certain time. The circuit can also be switched off at will by moving the hook 192 downwards. If this does not happen, current is switched off after a certain time by the contact 13h moving oh the segment 131, thus preventing unduly long connection of the battery cells to be regenerated to a relatively large charging current.

In the constructional examples hereinbefore described it can be assumed that the toy car is fitted with a toy electric motor wherein the operating current amounts to approximately one-half to one-fifth of the current normally obtainable from the battery cells. In this case, as experiments have shown, the battery cells can be so far regenerated in one to five minutes that approximately a half to one hours operation is possible on the regenerated cells. The current fed to the battery cells during regeneration is then advantageously made approximately three to ten times as great as the normal current flow through the motor. It is advisable to avoid connecting the battery cells to such a current for subas possible, so

slowly. This fan The lead 10a,

10 stantially longer than five minutes, since this can easily lead to destruction or deterioration of the cells. The clockwork motor described in Figs. 13, 14 and 15 can be adjusted so that the time of connection can be limited to approximately five minutes. In accordance with a modification, automatic switching-off can be effected by a bi-metal strip heated by the charging current, instead of by a clockwork mechanism.

Although but a few embodiments of the present invenhave been illustrated and described, it 'will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

it is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A toy vehicle set comprising in combination a toy vehicle, an electric motor means mounted on said vehicle, a regenerable dry cell battery means mounted on said vehicle and conductively connected to said motor means for actuating said motor means, said motor means upon being energized by said battery means actuating said vehicle, a first pair of contacts mounted on said vehicle and conductively connected to said battery means, a second pair of contacts mounted on said vehicle for controlling the electrical connection between said battery means and said motor means, means mounted on said vehicle for opening said second pair of contacts, a service station for reenergizing said battery means, said station comprising a source of charging current, a vehicle stopping device mounted adjacent said station, and a third pair of contacts mounted on said station and conductively connected to said source of charging current, said first pair of contacts being provided for conductively engaging said third pair of contacts when said vehicle enters said station for regenerating said battery means from said source of charging current, said vehicle upon entering said station engaging said stopping device and said stopping device engaging said contact opening means causing said contact opening means to disconnect said motor from said battery means.

2. A toy vehicle set comprising in combination a toy vehicle, an electric motor means mounted on said vehicle, a regenerable dry cell battery means mounted on said vehicle and conductively connected to said motor means for actuating said motor means, said motor means upon being energized by said battery means actuating said vehicle, a first pair of contacts mounted on said vehicle and conductively connected to said battery means, a second pair of contacts mounted on said vehicle for controlling the electrical connection between said battery means and said motor means, a bumper mounted on said vehicle in a first position and movable to a second position for opening said second pair of contacts, a service station for reenergizing said battery means, said station comprising a source of charging current, a vehicle stopping device mounted adjacent said station, and a third pair of contacts mounted on said station and conductively connected to said source of charging cur-rent, said first pair of contacts being provided for conductively engaging said third pair of contacts when said vehicle enters said station for regenerating said battery means from said source of charging current, said vehicle upon entering said station causing said bumper to collide with said stopping device to actuate said bumper to said second position to open the electrical connection between said motor and said battery means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,610,005 Haag Dec. 7, 1926 2,160,738 Horn May 30, 1939 2,298,431 Sullivan Oct. 13, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,003,384 France Nov. 14, 1951 

